James Hlawek Elected 1997 Chairman of
Commission on Health and Safety and Workers'
Compensation

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Commission on Health and Safety and
Workers' Compensation is pleased to announce the election of James
Hlawek as Chairman of the Commission for 1997.

James Hlawek, initially appointed to the Commission by Governor
Pete Wilson in 1994 and reappointed in October of 1996, is Administrative
Officer for the County of San Bernardino. An adjunct professor
at California State University, San Bernardino, teaching graduate
courses in personnel management, public budgeting and labor relations,
he is also Chairperson for the Program Advisory Board and is a
member of the Board of Councilors, School of Business and Public
Administation. James Hlawek is a member of the American Society
of Public Administrators, the American Management Association
and the Industrial Relations Research Association.

The Commission, created by the workers' compensation reform legislation
of 1993, is charged with overseeing the health and safety and
workers' compensation systems in California and recommending administrative
or legislative modifications to improve their operation. The Commission
was established to conduct a continuing examination of the workers'
compensation system and of the state's activities to prevent industrial
injuries and occupational diseases and to examine those programs
in other states.

The Commission is currently focused on several projects, including
a study of workers' compensation permanent disability benefits,
the impact of the medical/legal reform on California's
workers' compensation programs, and a study to evaluate
the impact of the reform legislation on the rehabilitation system.
The Commission recently released findings from its injured worker
study entitled "Navigating the California Workers'
Compensation System: The Injured Workers' Experience"
as well as the first year findings of its medical/legal study
entitled "Evaluating the Reforms of the Medical-Legal Process
Using the WCIRB Permanent Disability Survey". Recently
approved studies and projects include developing prototype information
material and video for injured workers, establishing a young workers
task force to protect young workers from work related injuries
and illnesses, developing a safety and health education video
for young adolescent workers, evaluating incomplete physician
reports in the permanent disability rating process, and the ongoing
posting of health and safety related courses available through
the state college and university system on the Internet.

Information about the Commission is available by writing to Christine
Baker, Executive Officer, Commission on Health and Safety and
Workers' Compensation, 30 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2122, San Francisco,
California 94102 or by calling (415) 557-1304. Information is
also available through the Department of Industrial Relations'
Internet servers' Commission on Health and Safety and Workers'
Compensation home page. The address is www.dir.ca.gov.